by Dianna M. Burns-Banks, MD
"As physicians, we have been granted a skill and blessed with opportunity. We have a responsibility and an obligation to assure the survival of a healthcare system that not only meets our needs and guarantees the financial survival of all willing providers, but also meets the needs of the insured, the uninsured and the underinsured."
As I look back on elementary school, I was just as excited about the first day of school as I was about the last day of school. My enthusiasm about the end of the school year was not so much about the last day of school but more about the transition, the potential for change.
I have very similar feelings as I reflect over the past year as leader of this very dynamic organization.
December marks not just the end of the year, but also the end of a very exciting year for me as president of Bexar County Medical Society. I am just as excited about being past president as
I was about the prospects of being incoming president.
In writing these articles, I may have occasionally appeared to be pessimistic about the future of medicine. The growth of managed care, the increasing financial burdens on physicians to meet overhead in the face of shrinking reimbursements, the uncertainty in the Medicaid and Medicare programs, the cutbacks in CHIP, the crisis of the uninsured, the inadequacy of mental health services and increasing health care disparities could be misinterpreted as disincentives to pursue medicine as a career.
However, the opportunity to address not just the medical needs, but also the social ills of our community will always define medicine as a noble and worthy profession.
Men and women of medicine have always had vision and commitment. Each of us can identify in our lives physicians who are medical giants.
My mentor, the late Dr. Frank Bryant, worked diligently to establish the Ella Austin Community Health Center. He understood that to improve the health status of his community, he had to address not just the medical issues of the patient but also the social and financial problems that plagued any economically disadvantaged neighborhood.
Dr. Al Sanders, another medical icon, advocated for his fellow physicians politically and worked quietly with new physicians to train them in the “art of medicine.”
Through the efforts of a group of visionary physicians seeking solutions to the growing healthcare needs of the San Antonio community, the South Texas Medical Center became a reality.
I believe what really makes medicine great is the physician. Physicians, who despite all the challenges that are presented each day, continue to provide the best care for their patients regardless of their funding. Such is the case with the physician who spends a little extra time with the anxious new mother even though it means he or she will probably have to skip lunch to meet the needs of other scheduled patients. And the physician, who despite a 12- to 14-hour day, finds a few minutes to simply sit and comfort a family as they deal with the loss of a loved one.
In reality, it is the primary care doctors, the specialists, the academic physicians and the private practitioners who are the foundation of medicine. They all are heroes. Their efforts, dedication and character will always inspire the young, serve as society’s moral compass to ensure healthcare equity and provide solace for the elderly.
As physicians, we have been granted a skill and blessed with opportunity. We have a responsibility and an obligation to assure the survival of a healthcare system that not only meets our needs and guarantees the financial survival of all willing providers, but also meets the needs of the insured, the uninsured and the underinsured. It must provide access for all
children and offer compassionate and affordable care for all our seniors. It must incorporate the latest technology, maintain quality and be fiscally responsible.
As a profession, we are tasked with being providers of medical care, educators of our patients and the public, innovators and legislative policy advocators. Yet we must always remember,”The good physician treats the disease. The great physician treats the patient who has the disease.”
Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
